With the majority (89 per cent) of businesses mandating in-office working days, the latest Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index shows Gen Z attendance is up by 10 per cent as businesses lay on the perks to attract workers in.
The quarterly Movers Index, now in its second year, is based on combining anonymised and aggregated UK movement data from O2 Motion* with national polling findings to reveal key behavioural trends. The combined data paints an accurate picture of movement patterns and the trends influencing them.
Gen Z upping office attendance as companies lay on perks
In the first few months of the year, in-office working rose, with almost half (46 per cent) of Brits working in the office more frequently now, compared to three months ago. O2 Motion data shows Gen Z daily commute trips are up 9 per cent from this time last year, including a 14 per cent increase in January trips. To maintain office attendance and offset employee costs, businesses are offering perks including free drinks (27 per cent), regular socials (22 per cent), free lunch on certain days (18 per cent) and free pizza (12 per cent). Companies are also looking to increase staff productivity with flexible hours (51 per cent), productivity tools (36 per cent), virtual events (16 per cent), making reliable connectivity key to facilitating efficient hybrid working.
Bank holidays set to boost local economy
With May bank holidays approaching, the majority of Brits (93 per cent) are planning to stay in the UK instead of going on foreign trips. Six in ten (60 per cent) are planning activities for the upcoming bank holidays including visiting the seaside (25 per cent), the countryside (24 per cent) and outdoor activities like long walks or picnics (15 per cent), setting the UK economy up for a much-needed boost. To encourage spending, 37 per cent of businesses are planning special deals and discounts during this period.
Brits spending more to shop local
Brits started the year with reduced trips to shopping centres (6 per cent) and high streets (1 per cent) according to mobile data. The months with the biggest fall in growth for high streets are July, November and December**, suggesting that online shopping may be preferable in colder months and peak holiday periods.
Local high streets remain important to shoppers, with just under half (47 per cent) planning to increase their shopping at small local businesses in the next three months. In fact, Brits are willing to pay up to 33 per cent more for an item locally rather than a large online retailer, up 14 per cent from the end of 2024.
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